The New Oakville Sub

I found it Jim, Thanks. By the way I found somewhat of a tank train too, http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showpost.php?p=740759&postcount=833

 

Yup, that's the one! One of these days I'll probably get a few more tankers - ethanols would be nice - to fill it out, but I'm easy...right now that train is a kind of "problem child". There are a lot of accumates in there and they do have a tendency to, shall we say, not remained coupled...I guarantee you if I have guests that train's not gonna run...we REALLY need a new coupler...

 

Accumates can be very problematic, and the new Athearn McHenry couplers are that great either. It seems to me, that all of the couplers are problematic. I even have MT couplers with issues in MT cars from the factory. Kato couplers are also a decoupling nightmare.

I think it about time for a revelation in the industry to standardize on one quality coupler that everyone uses. Heck have the NMRA design it and give out free licensing for manufacture.

It just isn't right to have a beautiful layout like Jim's, with an amazing train rolling along, and have couplers fail to stay coupled........

 

So. Whaddaya do when no one makes what you need? (Well, it’s a want rather than a NEED…)

You build it.

Shown below are pictures of the first signals on the Sub. (Yes, way too bright. I’ve taken care of that…)

Thanks to excellent service from Bob Knight at TrainCat (the basic signal brass kit) and Jim Hinds of Richmond Controls (the 603 LEDs) I was able to produce what you see. It wasn’t all that difficult, but quite fiddly. Took me two weeks for the first one, two days for the second. The snow hoods are cut from a brass sheet.

Now to start the production line.

And then to figure out what to drive them with (currently hard wired, a controller of some sort will be necessary)

 

Signals look really good Jim!

As for the control of the signals. I would reccomend the Team Digital SIC24 unit. It is Digitrax friendly and they can work without using a computer connection, unlike the Digitrax system that needs a computer to work.

I have prototyped the SIC24 working with DS64's and BDL168's to provide rules based signaling.

Just drop me a note if you have any questions.

Again, amazing work here, as always!:thumbs_up:

 

AAHH, tank train.

Nice signals too. I have been looking for example of the Traincat units on a layout with cars and locos around for scale size reference. Thanks.

 

That sounds like something that would work for me, David, it needs to interface with Digitrax, especially the DS64s, and not needing a computer running would be a plus...I'll begin research.

And thanks John and Hemi! I have several other commercially made signals but these I think are more flexible because you can configure them exactly the way you want.

 

I use CML Electronics SIGM20 for my signal controllers. They also don't require a PC to run as the signal logic is all stored on the hardware itself. It's Digitrax friendly with Loconet plugs right on the board.

SIGM20 Automatic Signal Controller

 

They do have searchlight masts.

Signals - Mast - TrainCat Model Sales, Inc.

 

At 54 pounds or Euros, that is about double the price on the Team Digital SIC24AD.

The SIC24 has all of the hardware on board plus handles 24 total aspects.

 

The SIGM20 does too. 8 signal heads * 3 aspects each = 24 total aspects. You can also do 6 signals with 4 aspects each if you want.

There's a $24USD daughter card adds another 2 Signal Heads (3 aspects each) to each SIGM20 as well.

The board has built in current limiting resistors for all LED outputs along with 8 inputs that can be used for a variety of things.

One the big things I like about the SIGM20 is that it can be programed using Windows software from CML rather than having to just program CV's. Makes setting up the logic much easier and more straightforward.

The SIC24AD is 54.95 direct from Team Digital.
The SIGM20 is £54.00 or $87USD direct from CML.
A $33 difference.

While the SIGM20 is a little more expensive, the ability to program the board with windows software is totally worth it to me.

Photo of my SIGM20 Install

 

Yep, you're in trouble!

The CML software might just sway me - it would surely be easier to program via windows - might be worth the extra $33...maybe if Team Digital had as one of their programs a crossover...

Thanks for all the suggestions - no decision immediately, too many signals to build!

Question came up on Atlas as to the resistance on the LEDs - what's in the pictures is with a 1K, I added another 1K and got the brightness to an acceptable level. Now that does seem quite high - Jim Hinds recommends 470 ohms minimum I believe (and he was talking about white, not colored) - but it's been my practice with LEDs to use the resistance that produces the desired brightness for a given LED. Thanks to Randgust (Randy Gustafson) for that.

Working on an additional six heads at the moment. Going considerably faster now that I have a clue...

 

More food for thought! Thanks, Rick - and $44 is pretty inexpensive for what that puppy will do...

 

Still looking at the new signals as a local out of Oakville blows for the crossing:



For those curious as to the componentry involved in building the signals, here's a shot:



We have in the center several masts and the raw brass strip from which the hoods will be cut, on the left some finished hoods, further left a partial fret from TrainCat, then clockwise LEDs from Richmond Controls, the ever dependable super glue, de-fretted signal heads with the .030 styrene backside which also acts as an insulator, and a couple of finished signals.

 

Hi Jim,

Is this the 1300901 kit from TrainCat and does it make up into four signals? If so, that's what I'll be getting.

Thanks, Ted

 

Yep, that's the one! Good Luck!